Sheet metal fastener and hole aligner



Sept. 5, 1944. 1.. o. VINSON SHEET METAL FASTENER AND HOLE ALIGNER Filed March 17, 1343 I EzyToR. BY A are 0/1/2501? 4 RNEK Patented Se t. 1944 I SHEET METAL FASTENERANDHOLE .ALIGNER Loren O. Vinson, Seattle, Wash. Application March 17,1943, Serial No. 479,533

. 4 5Claims. This invention relates to a sheet metal fastener and hole aligner of the type adapted for insertion K through registering rivet holes in two or more sheets of material, such as sheet metal, to proper- 1y align the said rivet holes and to firmly clamp the sheets of material together. I

It is an object of this invention to provide a sheet metal fastener foruse in registering holes in two or more sheets of metal which is adapted to be expanded into engagement with the walls of-the holes through which it passes, as contrasted to devices of this type which have hook like portions that engage with the innermost surface of the inner sheet of metal.

\Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal fastener of this type in which a slightly tapered rotary cam is used to expand sheet metal engaging members or resilient clamping jaw within holes in the sheet metal.

For the purpose of this description this device is referred to as a sheet metal fastener and hole aligner but it will be understood that said device may be used in connection with non-metallic sheets.

This device is, of great utility in airplane construction wherein any number of these devices may be inserted and expanded in the registering .holes in overlapping sheets of metal to bring the holes in the several sheets into accurate alignment and at the same time secure the several sheets together.

Further objects are to provide a sheet metal fastener that is simple in construction, easy to manipulate, eflicient in operation and not expensive to manufacture when produced in quantities.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing Figure l is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of a sheet metal fastener-constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are top and bottom plan views respectively of the same looking in the direction of the arrows 2-2 and 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same taken substantially on broken line 4-4 of Fig, 1, showing parts in elevation and showing the device inserted inholes in two overlapping sheets of metal.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on broken line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on broken line 6-4 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a detached elevation of a cam member used in the invention and showing, in section and in exploded relation, certain-housin and clamp parts.

Fig. 8 is a detached elevation of a clamping 'member showing the same before it is bent into I final shape.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

This device comprises a housing formed of two parts 10 and II held together by snap rings I2 which are split so the device can be readily assembled and disassembled. A rotatable plug 13 having a cam blade I4 thereon is rotatively mounted in the housing Ill-l 1. Two semi-tubular members 15 of resilient material, such as spring steel, form a split tube around the cam blade 14. These tubular members I! have their inner surfaces shaped as shown in Fig. 6 to form cam surfaces 23 so that said members IE will be expanded by rotary movement of the cam blade 14.

provided in connection with the cam surface 23 for the against.

Flanges IS. on the upper end portions of the tubular clamping. members l5 are supported within the housing members 10 and II. These flanges l6 are preferably serrated to provide relatively fine teeth 26 on both their bottom and top sides, see Fig; 7. These teeth 26 cooperate with corresponding teeth or serrations 21 and, Fig. '7, on the housing members It and II and .on a flange 20 of the plug member,l3. A spring I! yieldingly urges said teeth or serrations 21 and 28 into engagement with teeth 26 on the frame flanges l6, see Fig. 4. This arrangement prevents drifting and loosening of the cam l4 when the parts are in clamping position but will allow the cam to be retracted with a tool, such as a screw driver, to loosen the clamping device.

Preferably the two tubular gripping members I5 are of one piece of metal connected by a member l8 and tapered at 19 just above said member l8 to facilitate insertion in holes, However these two members l5 may be separate pieces.

I The cam member I4 is tapered and is slightly wider at its bottom end. When this cam member is in the position shown in Fig. 6, the tube members I 5 can be passed through holes of standard size in a plurality of sheets 2| and 22 of metal as shown in Fig. 4. If the cam is then turned in a clockwise direction as respects the showing on Fig. 6, it will expand the tube members and cause them to bind in the holes and secure the pieces of sheet metal together with the holes in accurate alignment. The pieces 2| and 22 of sheet metal can be pressed against the end of the housing Ill-ll if desired so that the device will hold them in close face to face relation. The taper or the cam member H swells the tube members outwardly more toward their outer ends than toward the housing Ill-ll and this provides a taper device binding in the holes in the pieces of sheet metal so as to accurately align the holes and at the same time secure the two or more pieces of sheet metal together.

When the two clamping members ii are made in one piece, as shown in Fig. 8, they are preferably drop forged. If these two clamping members are to be in two separate pieces then the connecting member I8 is omitted. When made in two separate pieces the two clamping members I! will function in substantially the same manner as when they are connected at their outer ends by the member l8. Obviously more than two clamping members-may be used. For instance, I may use three clamping members and a three lobed cam.

Sheet metal fasteners which have hook or head means that must be passed through the holes in the plates and caused to engage with the surface of one of the plates usually must be of substantially smaller diameter than the holes through which they are to be passed. For this reason they can not be depended on to alwaysaccurately align the holes. Applicants sheet metal fastener and hole aligner does not have any head or hook means but depends on the expansion of the clamping members l5 within the holes. Consequently applicant's device can be made so that it fits the holes closely, when collapsed, and it will only have to be expanded a few thousandths of an inch to bind securely within the holes thus accurately aligning said holes and, at the same time, firmly securing the sheets together.

In the use of this device, when the cam II is in the non-expanding position, as shown in Fig. 6, the gripping members l5 can easily be inserted in registering holes in sheets of material, such as the sheets 2| and 22 in Fig. 4. The sheets 2| and 22 will usually be positioned against the end of the housing lll before the clamping or gripping members l are expanded. As the cam I4 is turned to expand the members l5 said members I 5 flex slightly and are expanded on a slight taper. This accurately aligns the holes and firmly binds the sheets II and 22. When the cam H is angularly moved back into released position the clamping members I5 will contract and the fastener may be easily withdrawn from the holes.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose what I now regard as a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes in the device may be made as are fairly within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A fastener and hole aligner for insertion into registering holes of two or more overlapping sheets of material to align said holes and fasten said sheets together comprising a housing; a pin. rality of resilient clamping jaws carried by said housing and extending outwardly therefrom; an

elongated cam element rotatively disposed within said jaws for expanding the same, said cam element being of relatively flat cross section and being slightly tapered to provide increasing width toward its outer end; and means connected with rality of resilient clamping jaws carried by said;

housing and extending outwardly therefrom; an elongated cam element rotatively disposed within said jaws for expanding the same, said cam element being of relatively fiat cross section and being slightly tapered to provide increasing width toward its outer end; means connected with said cam element and extending to the exterior of said housing for rotating said cam element; and detent means provided between said cam element and said jaws adapted to yieldingly hold the same against relative rotary movement, said detent means being yieldable when said cam element is positively rotated by exerting a turning force thereon. V

3. A fastener and hole aligner for insertion into registering holes of two or more overlapping sheets of material to align said holes and fasten said sheets together comprising a housing; a plug member rotatively supported in said housing and having one end thereof accessible from the exterior of said housing whereby it may be rotatively moved; an elongated cam element rigid with said plug member and extending outwardly from said housing, said cam element being of relatively flat cross section and being slightly tapered to provide enclosing said cam element, said 'clamping jaws being insertable into registering holes in said sheets and having internal cam surfaces adapted to be engaged by said cam element whereby said clamping jaws will be expanded against the circumferential walls of said holes by said cam element when said cam element is rotated in one direction and will conform substantially to the taper of said cam element.

4. A fastener and hole aligner for insertion into registering holes of two or more overlapping sheets of material to align said holes and fasten said sheets together comprising a housing; a plug member rotatively supported in. said housing and having one end thereof accessible from the exterior of said housing whereby it may be rotatively moved; an elongated cam element rigid with said plug member and extending outwardly from said housing, said cam element beingof relatively flat cross section and being tapered to provide increasing width toward its outer end; and a plurality of resilient clamping jawscarried by sa d housing and extending around and substantially enclosing said cam element, said clamping jaws being insertable into registering holes in said sheets and having internal eamsurfaces adapted to be engaged by the tapered edge portions of said cam element whereby rotation of said cam element in one direction will expand said Jaws within said holes in said sheets.

5. A fastener and hole aligner for insertion into registering holes of two or more overlapping sheets of material to align said holes and fasten said sheets together, comprising a housing; a plug member rotatively supported in said housing and having one end thereof accessible from the exterior of said housing whereby said plug member of said two jaws cooperating with said cam element in the expanding of said jaws, said jaws each having one end portion positioned within said housing; flanges on the portions of said jaws that are. positioned within said housing, said housing having shoulder means to receive and support said flanges whereby said jaws are secured to said housing; and an integral arcuate resilient member connecting the outer end portions of said 10 jaws.

LOREN O. VINSON. 

